|
Abstract
|
Disasters, whether natural or man-made, remain a major challenge to achieving global sustainability.
FINDINGS show that Nigeria is prone to disasters such as destructive storms, desertification, drought and flood. It is generally recognized that there is the need to advance policies and practices to reduce the risk of disasters, and one way to reduce such risks is to ensure that laws are put in place to ensure effective integration of DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) policies in disaster management processes. Many nations have accordingly formulated disaster management laws and are using same in their countries. As nations search for solutions to challenges facing sustainability, such laws need to be subjected to critical appraisals from time to time. It is against this background that this study carried out an appraisal of Nigeria's NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) Act with a view to ascertaining its effectiveness and efficiency in dealing with disasters in the country. It was observed that the Act focuses more on establishment and functioning of the nodal agency (NEMA) for disaster management rather than on development of action plans for mitigating or preventing or minimizing the risks of disasters in the country. It was further discovered that the Act lacks a clear-cut direction on resource mobilization for disaster management by the stakeholders and also does not confer on the nodal Agency the power to compel other government and private agencies to integrate disaster risk reduction in their operations. The Act, therefore, should be reviewed to ensure centrality in the coordination of disaster management by stakeholders, empower the nodal agency to be more proactive than reactive in its operations and also to guarantee that funding of disaster management operations becomes the responsibility of all stakeholders in the country.
Language: en |